


the memory of you

by IronSwordStarShield (SweetFanfics)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Endgame compliant, M/M, Old Man Steve Rogers, its sad hours in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 08:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20579144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetFanfics/pseuds/IronSwordStarShield
Summary: so morgan stark finds an old flip phone while snooping around and manages to dial the only number on it. and steve picks up the call.





	the memory of you

At first, Steve thinks his hearing is going. But then the nurse points at the side table drawer, saying “Your phone is ringing.” 

Steve doesn’t understand where the ringing is coming from because his phone is in his pocket and not the drawer from where the ringing is coming from. He digs his hand into his pocket to double check that and yep. His phone is in his pocket. So what the other thing? He has to dig deep inside the drawer, knuckles bumping against who even remembers what before they curl around the source of the ringing and the vibrations. 

His brain yells a warning but it’s too late. Steve pulls the phone out and he’s catapulted back to 2016. He’s standing in the middle of a dusty street, at the counter of a small shop in a little town in East Europe that sells these burner phones, loading his number up before he walks down to the post office to drop off this package he’s made for Tony.

Heart racing, Steve stupidly <strike>hopes</strike> thinks, _It’s Tony. Tony’s calling. _He flips it open, vision swimming and going hazy when he sees the all too familiar name on the screen. Mouth dry and hands shaking, Steve presses the accept button and hoarsely asks, “Tony?”

For one brief (stupid) shining moment, Steve thinks Tony’s pulled one last miracle out of his bag of tricks. He didn’t die. He threw himself into the past or the future and he’s back now. Things are going to be better now that Tony’s back.

But he doesn’t hear Tony’s familiar warm chuckle. He doesn’t hear him say, “Steve.”

Instead, a soft girlish voice hesitantly asks, “Hello? Who is this?”

This… this isn’t Tony. 

“I…I’m Steve. Who are you?”

“I’m Morgan. Morgan Stark.”

Oh God. _Morgan_! Of course! His mind flashes to the last time he’d seen her, clinging to Pepper’s dress hem as they bid everyone good bye after Tony’s wake. That was… God. Has it only been three days? It’s closer to a lifetime and three days for him. Steve falls back on his bed, desperately wishing there was something behind him to support him because it feels like his world’s crumbling at the edges. He closes his eyes, hoping it’ll keep the tears at bay.

Steve swallows and forces cheer into his voice, “Morgan. Hi, it’s good to talk to you. I don’t think you remember me. We met at…we met a couple of days ago.”

There’s a long beat of silence before Morgan asks, “Are you Captain America?”

There's no biting down the wince that question births in him. Eyes locked onto his shoes, Steve answers, “I used to be.”

There’s a shuffling noise before Morgan speaks again, more tentative and shy than before. “Mr. Steve, why did my dad keep your phone?”

God, his heart is going to give out today. He’s going to have a heart attack, Steve knows it. His fingers clench in the sheets, wondering aloud, “What?”

“Daddy kept your phone with him. Mommy didn’t get why. But he did. Do you know why?”

_Fuck if I know, _is Steve’s first instinctual reply because honestly? He doesn’t know. Steve doesn’t know why Tony kept the shield with him for years after their fight in Siberia. He doesn’t understand why Tony forgave him after the fact. He doesn’t understand why Tony… God. Tony’s just an enigma to him. Steve exhales and admits, “I don’t know.”

The silence drags on for so long Steve starts to suspect Morgan has hung up on him. But then there’s a shuffle and a sniffle before Morgan’s wobbly voice comes through. “I miss him.”

And that just about breaks his heart. It’s a losing battle, trying to keep the tears at bay but Steve still blinks up at the ceiling and admits, “I miss him too.” 

He doesn’t admit that he let Tony down. He broke his promise again. He’s sorry he couldn’t do better. He’s sorry that Tony’s not here to have this talk with Morgan himself. Steve’s still got his regrets and there’s no way to fix them.

There’s another sniff, louder and wetter this time, before Morgan quietly says, “I should go. Mommy’s calling.”

“Morgan,” Steve blurts out, not sure why he’s stopping her from leaving but knowing he needs to do something to start making amends. If he couldn’t be there for Tony, he can at least be there for Morgan (as long as he can anyways). “If you ever need anything, you can call me on this cell, okay?”

“Anything?” Morgan asks with a hint of suspicion.

“Anything,” Steve promises.

“Even juice pops?”

Hell if he knows what juice pops are but Steve laughs and agrees, “Even those.”

“And cake?”

“We’ll need your mommy’s permission before that.”

Morgan makes a disagreeable noise that pulls a laugh out of Steve. He wipes what’s left of the wetness out of his eyes as she asks, softly, so hesitantly, “Can you tell me stories about Daddy? Mommy says she can’t yet.”

Steve exhales, trying not to think of how awful Pepper must feel. He should visit her. See how she’s doing and offer her help. Steve’s not sure how he can help but he’ll do whatever he can, even if it’s just babysitting Morgan. “I promise I’ll tell you every story I know.”

“Okay. Thank you Mr.Steve.”

“You’re welcome, Morgan.”


End file.
